Citizen watchdogs report their findings to the community

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 — The 2014-2015 Lassen County Grand Jury Final Report has been released to the public and is included as a special insert in this edition of the Lassen County Times. Lassen County citizens who served on the grand jury include Joseph Franco (foreperson), Ronald Jarrell (pro tem), Robert Beckett, Mervin Delgado, Marlene Gauthier, Henry Hart, Teresa Mossinger, Rosemari Reed, Denise White, Kim Brooks, Ronald Harrison, Emily Jones, Jennifer McNally, Ben Ramsey, Juston Struthers, Jane Voss and two members who resigned.

My day starts with more than a cup of coffee

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 — I am a morning person. But I am a better morning person with coffee. I have two mugs on my desk — one that is stuffed with pencil and pens and emblazoned with the words “What deadline?” and the other — the one that I actually drink from that reads “I need coffee now!” For Christmas this year, rather than buying individual gifts for my newsroom coworkers, I bought a coffeepot and a month’s worth of French Roast. But this really isn’t a column about coffee — it’s about getting off to the right start in the morning.

Donald, please, we should honor our heroes

Tuesday, July 28, 2015 — Anybody who knows me knows I am not a mindless rubberstamp for the government — especially when it comes to the military. I’ve always thought war — that bloody arena where men and women line up against each other in life or death conflicts on the land, in the air and on the sea — rightly must be included among our world’s greatest and most horrific obscenities. I don’t believe there is much chance I will ever change my mind about that, and I’d be willing to bet most of those who have actually seen combat would agree with me.

Our elected officials need to reside in Lassen County

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 — Despite the clear and unambiguous requirement in state law that elected officials must reside in the district they represent, the residency of some elected officials draws questions and raises concerns from county and city residents from time to time. During the past 15 years the residency of elected officials on the Susanville City Council, the Lassen County Board of Supervisors and the Lassen Municipal Utility District has been questioned. None of those officials has ever been charged with a crime — until now. Earlier this month Lassen County District Attorney Stacey Montgomery announced she has charged Daniel Schlueter, Lassen County’s Assessor, with six felonies — five felony counts of perjury and one felony count of voter registration fraud — regarding his residency in the county and thus his qualification to hold elected office.

Marriage brings sharing of passions that enrich life

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 — This morning I began thinking about the reasons we like what we do. Such a thought was prompted by the way I spent my time Saturday morning, July 11. I was up at 4 a.m. driving from my sister’s house in Gardnerville, Nevada, to Markleeville, California where my husband, Terry, planned to start the Death Ride. His desire to climb as many as five mountain passes throughout the day on a bicycle was shared by hundreds of likeminded cyclists.

Their red flashing taillights (lights are required on bikes if cyclists start the course before sunup) could be seen for miles along the course. My husband was on his bike by 5:30 a.m., slipping into a jersey and cycling shoes; checking the air in his tires; and strapping on a helmet in a parking area with many other cyclists who had picked Markleeville as their starting point.